Where here in So Texas starting our Texas Bird Base Camp. We’re here in June when no one in their right mind would sit in a blind because it’s bloody hot and dry. We’re talking 103 – 105 degrees as daily highs. Now you might remember back in January when I was in Yellowstone bemoaning the fact it was bloody warm, a balmy 20-25 degrees rather than -20. Well now I’m bemoaning the fact it’s cold, only 90 degrees. Not only is it cold here, it’s all green from all the rain! Yikes! It makes me wonder what I did to piss off Mother Nature?
But in all seriousness, that really is how this business goes. Every spring for the past thirty years, I have had projects lined up to work on and every year the vast majority get postponed or canceled due to weather. It can be frustrating at times, a blessing at other times. It has made me appreciate when it does all come together and learn how to make a lot of lemonade when it doesn’t. I wrote about this just these last couple of times when photographing the F-86E and it all applies the same to photographing wildlife.
What you see here is one of the highlights that come with working with birds in Texas, the Crested Caracara. This is a great bird which most don’t realize is a scavenger just like a Turkey Vulture. But they are such characters and are so visibly colorful that they instantly grab your attention. So while it is cold here in TX and I might only get to photograph 40 species of birds rather than 60, one of those species will be this beautiful creature. So if I did upset Mother Nature, my apologies and thanks for being so good to me in any case!
Photo captured by D2xs, 600AFS on Lexar digital film